Laundry In A Powder Room

Q. My powder room (main level of the house) is shared with the laundry appliances. How can I incorporate the two functionalities to make the bathroom look more formal? Visitors use the bathroom and I don’t want the washer and dryer to remind them of the laundry they have to do at home!

A. The most efficient way to keep the washer and dryer out of sight but accessible is to install either sliding doors or bi-fold doors in front of them, provided they share a small nook or one end of the room. This way, you will be creating a laundry “room” within your powder room. Keep the doors closed for guests, and just leave them open when doing laundry. If you don’t have space for doors, or if the machines are along a wall, think about “boxing them in” or building a faux armoire around them. Two doors that swing open or recess into the armoire will be sufficient functionally, and you can add shelving above the machines to store the necessities. Use finishing materials like beadboard and crown moulding for a more traditional space, or try going for pale wood and simple moulding for a more urban look.